Red Chocobo
by replacement
Summary: Cloud's POV: Cloud gives Reno a place to sleep it off, and we all know they don't get along very well... (not necessarily a pairing, but I'll leave that up to you. Rated for language and innuendo)


I brought him in, nearly dragging him over the threshold of my apartment. He was in a sorry state, though I can't say I fared much better. He was a more practiced alcoholic than I, who was still rather new to the game.

"You alright Reno?" I asked, dropping him on the couch as gingerly as I could.

"Just fuckin' peachy," he replied, holding his head, which I assume was pounding. "When'd I get hit by the train?"

"Which one? The J.D. Tram or the Cuervo Express?"

"Ah, my two best friends." He smiled. Then he looked at me as if noticing me for the first time. "Speaking of friends, Strife, why the hell'd you pick me up?" I held up my half-empty bottle. "That explains it! Tequila makes ya real funny, that's why I don't touch the stuff."

"Awful high-and-mighty for someone sprawled out on another man's couch." I pointed out, taking another swig. He stuck out his tongue.

"How can you drink that shit?"

"Like this," I replied, casually draining the bottle.

"Ewwww. I hope you don't expect me to kiss that fuckin' mouth." His sarcasm was painfully heavy.

"Don't make me sick." I tried to get one more drink before I remembered I had already finished it. "I'll be right back, DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING."

"I ain't gonna. I'll get cooties er something…" Reno eyed the couch suspiciously. I came back from the kitchen to find him thumbing through my DVD collection. I had just started praying when he shouted, "Hey look, porn!" I hung my head; even in my intoxicated state I was ashamed. "Damn Cloud, I didn't know ya liked 'em freaky like that." He tilted the DVD case to get a better look. I sat on the couch, resigned to my fate. He turned to me with a sly smile and asked, "What else ya got stashed around here? No man keeps his good shit just layin' around like this."

"Don't know what you're talking about."

"It's under your mattress isn't it?" He asked teasingly.

"No." I started getting defensive.

"Like hell it's not!" And he ran into my bedroom. I walked in just in time to see him tearing the covers off my bed.

"Hey!" I protested. "I've gotta sleep on that!"

He grimaced, "Don't remind me." He managed to get the sheets off and shove the mattress aside. "I was right!" He pulled out the magazines I had hidden and began flipping through them. This was more than I could take; I reached into his back pocket and pulled out his pack of Marlboros.

"I need a cigarette," was my only comment as I absconded with them.

Reno ran after me, shouting, "Then just take one!" I locked the bedroom door behind me before he could follow. I lit a cigarette and smiled as he yelled and beat on the door. I let him suffer while I smoked one after another. Eventually the pounding stopped, and I have to admit, the silence was a bit unnerving.

"Are you done?" I called back toward the room.

A very sullen sounding voice answered me, "Yes." I opened the door to find Reno sitting cross-legged on the floor; he wasn't ogling pornography, he was gazing at me with those sad, puppy dog eyes. I froze for a moment; this was a side of Reno I had been warned about, though I'd never seen it for myself. "Why'd you lock the door?" He asked quietly.

"I don't know," I was having a difficult time coming up with a response; he was so much like a child. "I was just angry I guess." He was silent for a moment, then he stood up.

"I should go."

"No," I grabbed his arm before he could get past me. "You're about to fall over. No way I'm letting you out there alone."

Sarcasm leaked out in his response, "You gonna walk me home then?"

"No."

"Then what?"

"You're staying here tonight." I said firmly.

"But—" I tightened my grip to halt his protest.

"You're not getting out of this, Reno." He nodded and I relaxed my hold on his arm. "You can sleep in here, I'll take the couch."

Reno shook his head, "You're the host, I'm the vagrant, I'll sleep on the couch."

"You're in worse shape than I am." I answered logically.

"It's YOUR bed." He pointed out.

"This isn't the first time I've had to—"

"Listen, Strife, I don't even want to think about what you've done on that thing." He said, gesturing to the bed.

"The sheets are clean," I shrugged.

Reno paused, then asked me very seriously, "You don't get much company do you?"

"You're the first person who's been over for a very long time," my shoulders dipped a little in embarrassment.

"Ouch," Reno said, patting me on the shoulder. "Tell ya what, I'll share."

"Huh?" I looked at him, confused.

"I'll share the bed with ya. I don't take up much space." When he said that, I knew he was a lot more drunk than he had let on…but then again so was I.

"You offering to sleep with me?" I asked with a smirk.

"In a manner of speaking." He replied, returning the grin.

"If you really want to," I agreed, laughing.

He was laughing too, "Isn't it obvious?"

"I knew it," I said quietly as I fixed the bedspread. Reno took off his button-up work shirt and I couldn't help but stare; suddenly all his stories about ShinRa were validated. Scars criss-crossed his shoulder blades, and I wondered how many of them were from me. His build was small, which explained why his uniform didn't seem to fit—I had always thought he was just too lazy to find one that did—but even so, he kept himself in shape. I was in the middle of comparing muscle structures when he caught me.

"Whatcha starin' at?" He asked as he laid down.

I recovered quickly, "You were right, you don't take up much space." He rolled onto his side and his ponytail made a soft thud as it hit the pillow next to me. "Why don't you take your hair down?" I asked teasingly. "That can't be comfortable to sleep with."

"It is," he mumbled.

"Then take it out."

"No," he buried his face further into the pillow.

"Why?"

"Cuz my hair looks stupid," he whined.

"If you don't do it, I will," I threatened with a smile. "I don't want that thing hitting me when you adjust."

"Fine," he said, pulling the tie out. His hair fell around his shoulders and in his eyes, he brushed it away. "You happy now?"

"It doesn't look that bad." I assured him.

"But will the boys still think I'm pretty?" Reno mocked me. I couldn't help it, as insulting as it was supposed to be, I busted out laughing. He followed suit and I didn't feel quite so stupid.

….

I know I fell asleep on the far side of the bed, but that's NOT where I woke up. Instead when I opened my eyes I was right behind Reno with my arm draped over him. I pulled away and tried to figure out how we ended up in those particular positions. I was warm and still rather intoxicated, and the soft sound of breathing next to me was comforting…it was a long time then since I had company. I chalked it up to exhaustion and the loneliness of an unconscious mind. I was about to fall back asleep, but he opened his eyes too soon.

"Cloud," Reno voice was still somewhere in a dream. "Man, you're a scary sight to wake up next to."

"Fuck you, Reno." I groaned.

"I never thought you'd ask." He sat up and I grimaced as he popped every one of his vertebrae.

"Fuck OFF then."

"Right here? You're weird."

"Shut up, my head's pounding," I could feel my pulse like an earthquake.

"Aww poor Cloudy overdid it," he taunted, ruffling my hair. "Next time you should stay with the lightweights, you're not ready to go drinkin' with the big boys yet."

"Don't you have to go to work soon?" I asked angrily.

"Work? Me?" He replied, smiling. "What is this 'work' you speak of?"

"The place that's calling you," I said, gesturing to the phone shaking my bed-side table.

"Shit!" He poked the screen and held it to his ear. "Yes sir? No, I was just about to…Yes sir…Fine, I got it…" CLICK. "I gotta go."

"Told you."

"Yeah yeah," he threw on his shirt and sniffed. "Great, I smell like you."

"It's probably an improvement," I chuckled.

"Women like the musk," he grinned.

"That's why you came home with me." I had to look closely to see it, but Reno was blushing.

"I swear to fucking Jenova, if you tell ANYBODY…"

"Tell them what, Reno? It'll damage my reputation too, you know."

"Yeah," he mumbled. "But they already have suspicions 'bout you."

"Nothing happened." I said, lying back on the bed.

"Right," he cleared his throat. "Uh, how the hell do I get to ShinRa from here?"

"I can take you." I offered calmly.

"Like hell!" He shouted. "The last thing I need is t' show up with your blonde ass."

"Suit yourself," I shrugged. He walked out of the room and I called to him as I heard the front door close, "Make sure you're not being followed!" I laughed to myself, I loved playing on Reno's paranoia. I could imagine him now: shuffling through the alley, looking over his shoulder, running into buildings 'cuz he was spent so much time worrying about what might be behind him. The quiet overwhelmed me. I was alone again. So I stared at the ceiling and thought back to the last time I saw everyone together. Tifa had been teasing Reno… What was it she called him? "My Little Red Chocobo."


End file.
